The Portland State Vikings host Weber State on Thursday night at the Stott Center as they attempt to climb back up the Big Sky Conference standings.

The Vikings (9-8, 2-3) can rise to fourth place with a win over the Wildcats (9-7, 3-2) when they meet in a 7:05 p.m. game. PSU is 6-2 at home this year, but comes off a pair of road losses last week.

With three of the next four games at home, Portland State hopes to turn around the two-game losing streak and rise in the standings. Perhaps they will draw some inspiration from the greatest Viking of them all…

FREEMAN WILLIAMS IN THE HOUSE
His picture is on the wall, and Viking legend Freeman Williams will be in the house when the Vikings host Weber State on Thursday. Williams will also attend the Saturday game against Northern Arizona (5:05 p.m.).

Williams is featured on the west wall mural in the Stott Center, along with his retired number 20. A Viking from 1974-78, Williams was the second all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history with 3,249 career points (behind only Pete Maravich). He was a first team All-American in 1978 on the same roster with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

Williams, a 6-4 guard, was a prolific scorer, who holds 13 Portland State records and played six seasons in the NBA. He once scored 81 points in a game, and scored 35 or more on 41 occasions! Williams led the nation in scoring in 1976-77 (39.6 ppg) and 1977-78 (35.9 ppg).

Currently an assistant basketball coach at the high school he attended, Manual Arts in Los Angeles, Williams is in town with a documentarian who is producing his story.

GAME TIME CHANGE FOR JAN. 22 vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA
Portland State's Jan. 22 men's basketball game with Northern Arizona will tip off at an earlier time than originally scheduled. The game, which is the Altitude TV/Big Sky Conference Game of the Week, will tip off at 5:05 p.m. from the Stott Center.
   
This 5:05 start is a change from Portland State's normal 7:05 start time, and also a change from the originally listed 6:05 start time.
   
The game will air on Altitude TV, which is available on most satellite systems. It will not be available locally on Comcast Sports Net until 11 p.m. on tape delay as there is a conflict with the Portland Trail Blazers game with the Indiana Pacers that night.

SPECIAL SATURDAY DEAL: All reserved seats are on sale for general admission prices, $10 for adults and $7 for youth.

MELVIN JONES WILL BE FEATURED IN “AMERICAN STORY”
SR G Melvin Jones is the subject of what will be a nationally-recognized feature on NBC's Today Show. Reporter Bob Dotson, who produces a regular feature called “American Story” on The Today Show, was in town earlier in January to interview Melvin, his family and their unique story. The feature is scheduled to appear on the Today Show on Jan. 31 between 8:30-9 a.m. (subject to change).
   
Jones has already been featured on the front page of the Seattle Times and in the Portland Tribune for his inspiring story. Jones has risen up from a high school student on a path to failure to an Academic All-Conference level student at Portland State while excelling in the sport of basketball. He has done so with the assistance of his adoptive mother, Jennifer Annable, former high school coach, Kasey Poirrer, and their family.

GOOD STARTS: Since moving into the starting lineup six games ago, JR G Charles Odum has been red-hot. Odum has scored 107 points (39-60 FG, 11-16 3-pt FG, 18-25 FT) with 24 rebounds, 18 assists and seven steals. Odum has led the team in scoring three times and twice set a new career-high. Most recently, Odum scored a career-high 24 at Montana (1/15)... Odum averages 17.8 points in the starting lineup.

TICKETS: Portland State Basketball tickets are priced from $10-$15 for adults and $7-$10 for juniors and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com. They are also available to the Portland State ticket office, or at the Stott Center beginning 90 minutes prior to the game. The Portland State Ticket Office is located Smith Memorial Union, 1825 SW Broadway on the Portland State campus or call 888-VIK-TIKS/503-725-3307.